Compared to this point last season . . .

canadiancherry

canadiancherry

Star Player
After 22 games we currently sit 12th, with 26 points, having scored 32 goals (8th best in league) and conceded 39 (16th best). We are 15 points behind 6th position and 9 above relegation.

At this time last year, our first season in the PL, we were in 15th with 24 points, having scored 26 and conceded 37. We were 11 points behind 6th position and 3 above relegation.

What initially jumps out at you is that we are scoring more (which is good), but our defending is worse. And that we are only 2 points better than last year.
Also, that last season the top clubs really stunk it up (at this time last year, the leaders were Arsenal and Leicester both with 44, this year it's Chelsea with 55).
Anything else we can figure from this?
 
I don't like comparing this season to the previous one, makes no real sense. Every football match is unique - it can be decided on things like...team selection, the weather, refereeing decisions, how the opponent played on that day, etc etc. It is therefore impossible to look at results previously to what we are doing now, you cannot truly compare a game against a team this season and last.
 
The worrying thing for me is that last year we were decimated by injuries with no Arter, Wilson,Gradel...all key players...for large chunks. We had to rebuild a side on the go in a new league...

This year we have been largely injury free with all key players available for the majority of games. This would indicate to me we have not improved in the round.
 
I think we'e improved massively. We find goals easier to come by, we're more competitive against the big clubs. We're only a couple of players away from being a pretty decent team.
 
Wilson and Gradel are still not back to the form they showed before picking up those serious injuries last season.

It took Marc Pugh a while to get over the freak injury he picked up at Orient.

Without getting games and just training sessions players like Gradel won't get fully match fit.
 
at least Max is getting some practice in Africa....tbh Wilson has had plenty of gametime in which to sharpen up but it seems to be taking a while with him?
 
I think it's going to get "tight" at the end of the season
 
...pretty sure that we will be safe from the drop...I will worry for next season though as I don't think without a bit of an overhaul we will be so fortunate then?
 
It feels that defensively we are no better than last year if not actually worse; attack wise we are perhaps slightly better, Wilshire has added some more class in midfield.

I have three main observations about this season

1. I think everyone, including the manager, has far less idea of what our best team is. Actually I don't think we have a best team at the moment. Last season I think everyone could name our best 11 with at most one or two differences between the choices. This season players are blowing hot and cold, so-thought lesser players are having a really good game or two above expectations and then becoming mediocre, and the top players are being underwhelming and then having a good game etc. When it all comes together it's great but its not happening that often.

2. The overall standard in the PL this season seems lower, the top clubs aren't I think playing any better but there are a lot of clubs who don't seem to be playing particularly good football and so a gap has opened between them and the rest. I think it will tighten up even more from 9th or so downwards, but we only need another 12 points to be safe.

3. Refereeing standards and consistency seems to have hit a nadir this season, Mike Riley needs to be given the boot pronto, and the assessing system's recent cost-cutting changes need to be undone at the very least.
 
I personally would say we are the same as last year. However, come Monday May 22nd, we will be significantly weaker with Wilshere gone (hopefully not forever).
 
I feel we suffer from playing less games in this league. In the championship, we built up a head of steam, had partnerships all over the pitch, and relished so many games. There are such long gaps between games these days, I think it suits the teams with the best individuals more. And it makes eddies decision to chop n change for the cup seem worse. Just a thought.
 
Play Smith,Francis,Cook,Daniels and maybe bring Lewis Cook in for Surman when he's fully fit. We never conceded anything like the amount goals with that back four!
 
Unfortunately as far as the board are concerned (and plenty of fans) it doesn't really matter if we've improved as long as we don't get relegated. I'm not particularly happy about that but it is the nature of the beast. In fairness we are getting great entertainment value even if the best case scenario is nothing to play for during the last third of the season (hopefully). Trying to do well in cups - now that would be an improvement.

 
Whilst we're still doing ok (seemingly holding our own in mid table) I'd actually say we're worse this season, based on our current dip... and inconsistency... We seem to be going a bit stale all over the park, and our lack of creativity is showing as our tempo has dropped when in attack...

I wanted us to 'compete' against the top teams this year, something we didn't do last year, and by enlarge we have done that (beating Liverpool, draw to arsenal and a top performance at the emirates), yet we have played worse against the lesser teams... so it's swings and roundabouts...

Our away form is abysmal this year, when last year, we thought you could win at most places... and as has been pointed out, we used to rely on partnerships all over... We don't really have this this year, be that because of new personal, or a constant rotation (because of EH not knowing his best XI)...

Our bench doesn't really offer much (despite being a tad expensive) and Wilson simply isn't cutting it yet and probably hasn't recovered properly... Afobe is one of the shining lights and looks bang on form, improving with every game... The other is Cook... Seems to continually grow in his role at the heart of our defence...

EH needs to seriously think about injecting something new into our team (and not the squad), as I fear the 'usual suspects' for Lg 1 and the Championship, will not be able to carry us forever...

I think we're about to enter into a period of serious transition and Eddie needs to improve on his new signings... IMO...
 
...the next twelve months will define us and Eddie Howe...but I am still enjoying the ride!
 
When you see some of the sides below us and those struggling, some managers you get the feeling probably won't improve things.

Eddie I believe will, he is already looking at us at defending corners, conceded both goals from corners against Watford.

We had every player back as well, Eddie likes that idea, been discussed on here numerous times.

 
Eddie I believe will, he is already looking at us at defending corners, conceded both goals from corners against Watford.
Click to expand...

Will it make me manager of the month, i've been saying about our set piece defending for years :)
 
Eddie I believe will, he is already looking at us at defending corners, conceded both goals from corners against Watford.
Click to expand...

Will it make me manager of the month, i've been saying about our set piece defending for years :)
 
I think that our team this year has played some brilliant football, putting in performances that far outshine anything we saw last season. I also think that our "worst game" this year is better than last year's; last season we really were embarrassed a few times by top clubs whereas our crappy games now are not quite as crappy as last year.
The biggest difference though (in my novice opinion) is that last year we were more consistent in putting in decent performances (even if they weren't enough to win), whereas this year it has kind of been either luminous or lacklustre.
On average, we're better, but it's just a painful lack of consistency, the causes of which have been, and will continue to be, debated actively and ardently on this board!

 
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